Rail-joint.



No. 705,575. Patented July 29, 1902.

\ w. FLOSSP RAIL JOINT.

(Application filed May 2, 1902.)

(No Model.)

hj i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FLOSS, OF MEADOW LANDS, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINTL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,575,dated July 29, 1902. Application filed May 2,1902. $e1ial No. 105,641.No model.)

To (t l Z whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FLoss, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Meadow Lands, in the county of VVashington andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Rail- Joints, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inrail-joints, the object of the invention being to construct a jointwhich may be easily applied and secured in position without the aid ofthe ordinary nuts and bolts.

Briefly described, my invention consists in constructing themutually-adjacent ends of the rails of a greater thickness inthe webportion thereof than the remainder of the rails, recessing the tread ofthe rails in this thickened portion, and in providing a cap-rail havinga tread portion which fits in the recesses in the tread of the rails andprovided with' ribs which interlock with recesses provided therefor inthe said thickened portions of the rails.

The above and other features of construction entering into my inventionwill be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed outin the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification, and where in like numerals ofreference indicate like parts throughout the several views,in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved joint as applied inposition on the rails. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1. 3 is a top planview of the adjacent ends of two rails. Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the cap-rail. Fig. 6 is an underneath plan viewof the same.

To put my invention into practice, I con struct the rails 1 with athickened web portion 2, which is cut away on its upper face at the endof the rail, the cut-away portion terminating into the V-shaped recess3. This thickened portion is provided in its upper face with cut-awayportions 4. 4, which are in registry with the vertical grooves 5, formedin the side of the thickened portion of the rail- Fig;

tion, as shown in Fig. 3, I place thereon the oaperail, consisting ofthe tread portion 7, which fits within the cut-away portion in the upperface of the rail-treads and has V- shaped projections 8 on each end tomatch with the V-shaped recesses 3 in the tread of the rails 1. Thiscap-rail has downwardly-extending integralsides 9, forming fish-plates,which embrace the sides of the thickened portions of the rails and oneof which is provided on its inner face, at the upper end thereof, withstepped shoulders 10, which are adapted to mesh with the steppedshoulders 6. One of these fish-plates, itwill be observed, is set outfrom the tread of the cap-rail, so as to form a passage-wayll for theflange of the wheel. The other of the fish-plates carries on its innerface integral ribs 12, which extend vertically along the inner face ofthe said fishplate and also across the under face of the tread 7, andthese ribs 10 fit within the vertical grooves 5 and the recesses 4:,thus holding the two rails together and preventing longitudinal movementthereof. Each fish-plate 9 is constructed with one or moreoutwardlyextending lugs 14, which are so shaped as to adapted to receivethe securing-spikes for fastening the joint to the ties.

With my improved joint it will be observed that while the break or jointbetween the two adjacent rails will come at the point between two of thecross-ties, yet the cap-rail being placed across the joint gives anunbroken joint between the rails. The joint is easily placed in positionand is quickly removed when desired. 1 1' V f It will be noted thatVarionschangesmaY be made in the details of constructionwithoutdeparting from the generahspiritof my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having thickened webportions at the ends thereof,said web portions being cut away in theirupper faces and provided with recesses and vertical grooves, of acap-rail comprising a tread and depending fish-plates to fit in thecut-away portion of the rail ends and having interior ribs to engage inthe recesses and vertical grooves of said thickened rail ends,substantially as described.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having thickened Webportions provided in one side with vertical grooves and in the upperfaces with recesses, of a cap-rail fitting over said thickened portionsand having interior ribs to fit in the recesses and grooves in saidthickened portions, and securing-1n gs carried by said cap-rail,substantially as described.

WILLIAM FLoss Witnesses:

A. M. WILSON, E. E. POTTER.

